Love it or dread it, Black Friday has changed the game for marketers and shoppers alike, both online and in real life. It’s a chaotic, exhilarating sprint to the finish line (which seems to get longer every year), where every click, scroll, and second counts. As an advertising copywriter, I’ve seen more Black Friday campaigns than I can remember at this point. I’ve also learned that a high-converting landing page isn’t just nice to have — it’s a non-negotiable these days.
So, how do you cut through the noise of it all and build a Black Friday page that does more than just look flashy? How do you create something that truly converts, turning casual browsers into buyers? Let’s dive into some tried-and-true approaches, straight from the trenches of holiday marketing. I asked Taboola’s director of creative shop and AI strategies, Mayaan Leshem, to delve into details with me and share some helpful tips.
5 Tips to Create the Best Black Friday Landing Page
1. Think Mobile, Act Early
Something obvious that needs to be reinforced anyway: Your customers are glued to their phones. At this point, it’s officially not just a trend, it’s the dominant shopping experience. Mobile accounts for 55% of holiday e-commerce, and mobile holiday revenue now outpaces desktop, and is expected to grow. This isn’t just about having a responsive design anymore, it’s about building a mobile-first experience from the ground up.
“Make sure your content is thumb-stopping, fast-loading, and easy to browse on small screens,” says Leshem. In addition, she recommends promoting exclusives for mobile shoppers to encourage early action.
Timing is another big part of launching a landing page, and the best time to start the process, quite honestly, is now. Nearly half of holiday shoppers plan to shop before November: People, like myself, want to avoid the last-minute holiday rush and check off their list as early as possible. So, launch your holiday-specific, mobile-optimized page by October to reach those eager shoppers. This means getting your content, exclusive mobile bundles, and limited drops live well in advance, with plenty of time to deal with problems that come up.
As a creative copywriter, my favorite part of the job is to write funny, clever headlines, but that’s not always what’s needed. For Black Friday landing pages, the headlines should communicate a simple message of urgency. Let potential customers know your shop is live and ready for mobile shoppers, and promote any special offers you have.
2. Make Your Creative Festive, Authentic, and Kinetic
The landing page itself is where you can lean more heavily into creativity. Generic is boring, especially during the holidays: Think about how many ads you see every June that use “Dads and Grads” or something equally bland and emotionless. It all blends together as a blur in a reader’s mind. Remember, a memorable site doesn’t just look pretty — it can drive a higher conversion rate as well.
“During the holidays, emotions run high — tap into that energy and align your creative story with the spirit of the season to build trust and resonance,” says Leshem. “Feature warm, candid imagery of real families, cozy settings, or shared holiday moments.”
Regarding that last part, it doesn’t mean just slapping some snowman art on it. Your visuals need to feel real and organic: Think unfiltered, user-generated content (UGC) and style authenticity, since users can often sense when a site was hastily thrown together. DIY imagery builds trust and is often more relatable than polished stock photos, so try to show products within genuine holiday moments that fit your audience. “Stock-looking visuals feel flat,” confirms Leshem. “Authentic holiday footage drives deeper connection.”
You also want to avoid images that look too static. “Use kinetic visuals — movement, gestures, and smiles — to create emotional pull,” advises Leshem. To that end, looping, short-form HD videos that are human-driven capture attention and truly bring products to life. Don’t just tell them about your new decorative cake mold, show them how it fits into their holidays with a “SEE IT IN ACTION” button. It can really make a huge difference.
3. Personalize and Gamify the Experience
In a sea of Black Friday deals, how are you supposed to stand out? “Generic gifting doesn’t cut it anymore,” says Leshem. “Today’s shoppers respond to content that feels custom and fun. Try adding interactive elements, like quizzes or gift finders, to increase engagement. Use gamified calls-to-action (CTAs) such as ‘Play to Shop’ or ‘Take the Quiz’ to make the experience feel rewarding.”
Interactive elements like these speak directly to specific audiences, and can end with CTAs that turn browsing into an engaging experience. It doesn’t have to be cutting-edge web technology, either: A “Find Your Gifting Style” quiz with copywriting that’s funny, informative, and leads to a personalized gift list can work wonders. Even a 60-second quiz to help shoppers find gifts for a family member who is tough to buy for could be effective.
Leshem also recommends segmenting by shopper behavior (e.g., last-minute buyers, early planners, or gift givers for specific demographics). Making your page personalized goes a long way, especially for a burnt-out shopper who’s been browsing endless other sites. Shoppers love to feel understood and seen: “Personalization boosts relevance,” Lesham adds, “and relevance drives clicks and conversions.”
4. Highlight Discounts and Ensure a Frictionless Checkout
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth emphasizing: Black Friday is all about the deals, so don’t lose sight of that — it’s what shoppers are looking for. Your landing page should communicate the savings clearly from the moment someone lands on it. You may have seen the page in layout a million times, but to them, it’s fresh and new. “Shoppers are deal-hungry and pressed for time: Lean into urgency and simplicity,” insists Leshem.
But, a great discount is only half the battle. If your checkout process is clunky, customers may give up halfway through, which means you’re leaving money on the table. “Match your ad message with a frictionless checkout experience to keep the momentum going,” advises Leshem, adding these helpful tips:
- Highlight deep discounts prominently (e.g., “75% Off. Zero Hassle.”).
- Use phrases like “Ends Soon” or “Limited-Time Offer” to spark FOMO.
- Emphasize speed: Promote features like one-click checkout, no logins, and instant shipping.
- Drive conversions with direct CTAs such as “Shop & Save Now” or “Buy Now.”
Basically, the fewer the hurdles, the higher your conversions. Keep your landing pages simple and straightforward.
5. Strategize Your Campaign Timeline
Timing is everything, and your Black Friday strategy shouldn’t just kick off in November — it’s a multi-phase operation. Here’s a general timeline of how a plan could look:
October (Early Shopping and Research)
“Holiday shopping starts earlier each year, and mostly happens on mobile,” reiterates Leshem.
“Launch mobile-optimized landing pages early (ideally by October) to catch planners and early birds. ‘Early access’ and ‘mobile-only drops’ can give mobile-first campaigns a powerful edge.”
November (Consideration)
Holiday shopping is ramping up, so nurture intent with gift guides, comparisons, and personalized messaging.
Cyber Five (Discount Purchasing)
The five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday is the main event. Lead with urgency, highlighting your biggest deals and fastest checkout options.
December (Last-Minute Purchasing)
Be sure to emphasize speed, shipping deadlines, and last-chance offers.
“Q5” (Christmas through New Year’s: Return and Refresh)
Almost at the finish line, so don’t stop just yet! Capture return traffic with self-gifting, clearance sales, and New Year promotions. This is a great time for industries like finance to position products as the “first smart money move” of the new year, or health brands to offer a “post-holiday reset.”
Leveraging Realize for Black Friday Success
There’s a ton of possibilities, but platforms like Realize can help make your vision a reality. As a performance engine designed to deliver prospecting and conversion outcomes on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, Realize brings some serious power to your Black Friday efforts from multiple angles:
Unique Data and AI that Drive Results at Scale
This means faster creative variations and further optimizations, all driven by artificial intelligence (AI). It’s a game-changer for quickly testing and iterating on those festive, authentic, and kinetic creatives mentioned above.
Creative Formats and Placements Beyond Native
With Realize, you’ll get creative formats and placements beyond traditional native ads, entirely designed for performance. This broad reach helps you captivate audiences with timely holiday footage that feels real and organic, not just emotionless stock.
“Some of the most engaging holiday campaigns are brought to life through a variety of creative formats that are available in Realize,” says Leshem. “With Display, Rich Media, Native, and Carousel formats at your fingertips, you can build immersive, high-performance experiences tailored to your performance goals. Whether you’re driving urgency with a bold Display banner, gamifying a gift guide with Rich Media, storytelling through Native ads, or showcasing variety with Carousel, Realize empowers you to meet shoppers wherever they are — at every scroll, tap, and click.”
Control and Transparency
Realize offers marketers greater control and transparency, which is crucial for monitoring your campaign performance and ensuring you’re getting the most out of your budget.
Seamless Integration and Tracking
Realize integrates quickly with platforms like Shopify and WordPress for seamless pixel setup and automatic conversion tracking, eliminating manual coding or theme limitations. This is a big win, as implementing tracking four to six weeks in advance is vital to collect data on users interacting with your brand before peak season.
Reaching High-Value Shoppers
Realize’s Predictive Audiences allow you to go beyond your core audience, tapping into high-intent users who are likely to convert during the peak season. This means reaching new customers who are primed to buy.
Stability During Peak
A critical piece of advice: Avoid major changes to targeting, bidding, or other settings during peak days. This prevents re-triggering the learning phase and keeps your campaigns stable when it matters most.
Realize's advanced AI capabilities enable precise targeting, engagement optimization, and budget simulation, maximizing advertiser ROI.
Key Takeaways
When it comes to Black Friday landing pages, mobile-first is mandatory: Design for phones first, since mobile dominates holiday e-commerce. Launch your holiday content and offers by October to capture early shoppers and use festive, real, and kinetic (short-form video) visuals to boost engagement. Engage shoppers with quizzes and tailored content and clearly highlight deals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best tools to create a landing page?
Platforms like WordPress are incredibly helpful due to their flexibility and extensive plugins, allowing for custom designs and integrations, and user-friendly interfaces. Other popular options include Unbounce, Leadpages, Instapage, and even website builders like Shopify or Squarespace, which have lots of landing page functionalities.
Should I redirect a Black Friday landing page after the sale is over?
Yes! It’s generally a good idea to redirect your Black Friday landing page after the sale ends. This prevents visitors from seeing outdated offers and helps maintain a positive user experience. You can redirect it to your homepage, a general sales page, a “current offers” page, or even a relevant category page. A 301 redirect (permanent redirect) is usually recommended for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes.
Why do I have no conversions if I have hundreds of visitors to my landing page?
A high number of visitors with low conversions can be one of the more frustrating experiences, but it points to a disconnect between your traffic and your landing page’s ability to persuade people. Here are some common reasons why:
- Mismatch between Ad and Landing Page: Your ad might promise one thing, but your landing page delivers another. Ensure consistent messaging and clear offers.
- Poor User Experience: Is your page slow to load, hard to navigate on mobile, or cluttered? Remember that mobile is 55% of holiday e-commerce, so mobile optimization is key.
- Unclear Call-to-Action (CTA): Is it obvious what you want visitors to do next? Is the button prominent and compelling?
- Lack of Urgency/Value: Are your deals clear and enticing enough? Do visitors feel a reason to buy right now?
- Missing Trust Signals: Do you have customer reviews, security badges, or clear return policies?
- Too Much Hassle: Is the checkout process too long or complicated? Prioritize a fast checkout so buyers don’t bail midway through.
- Audience Mismatch: Are you driving the right audience to the page? It’s possible that your targeting may need some refinement.
